General Assembly Funding Expands Registered Apprenticeship in North Carolina
Published: March 9, 2025
Raleigh—March 9, 2025— In 2022, the North Carolina General Assembly appropriated nearly $12 million for the expansion of Registered Apprenticeship Programs across the state. As a result of this funding, ApprenticeshipNC, the State Apprenticeship Agency housed under the North Carolina Community College System, has registered 1,385 apprentices between the ages of 16 and 25 for 155 employers. Currently, ApprenticeshipNC serves 10,617 active apprentices and pre-apprentices—in addition to another 2,225 national programs located in the state. These registrations, along with the financial support from the North Carolina General Assembly, actively contribute to Governor Stein’s goal of making North Carolina the leading state for Registered Apprenticeship growth in the nation.
The Expansion Grant funding, which is non-recurring, must be fully disbursed by December 31, 2026. Per the legislative guidelines, employers are using the funds to expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the high demand occupation areas of IT, Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Community & Social Services, Education, Healthcare, Protective Services, Food Service, Office & Administrative Support, Construction, Maintenance, and Transportation. Expansion Grant funding has helped North Carolina employers mitigate the perceived risks and expenses of starting a Registered Apprenticeship. While discussing the Expansion Grant’s impact, ApprenticeshipNC Director Chris Harrington, Ph.D., MBA said, “The Expansion Funds have allowed small businesses located in the more rural areas, Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, to embrace this strategic workforce development approach to meet their workforce needs and begin to impact the workforce shortage that is being felt across the state and the nation. Nearly 700 apprentices from 170 employers remain on a waitlist for funding to implement Registered Apprenticeship Programs. To fund the requests on the current waitlist, approximately $14 million is needed. ApprenticeshipNC staff continues to work across the state to register, support, and grow Registered Apprenticeship and inform employers of funding opportunities as they become available.”
Governor Stein has been a vocal advocate of Registered Apprenticeship in the first 90 days of his term. In January, he attended the launch of Surry-Yadkin Works’ FLEET Program, an initiative designed to unites K-12 education, community college partners, and local advanced manufacturing leaders to train at-risk high school students to help meet local employment needs. In February, the Governor issued a proclamation designating February as Career and Technical Education month, toured the auto tech labs at Wake Tech, and spoke to school administrators, apprenticeship, and business leaders to discuss issues facing North Carolina’s workforce. On March 10, 2025, the Governor will give the keynote address at the 2025 ApprenticeshipNC Conference in Durham, North Carolina, which will be attended by Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders from across the state.
John C. Loyack, Vice President of Economic Development, North Carolina Community College System, is also a proponent of Registered Apprenticeship Programs, saying, “Apprenticeships are not just a pathway to skilled trades but a vital cornerstone for diverse occupations across all industries. They bridge the gap between education and employment—fostering a workforce that is knowledgeable, skilled, and ready to meet the evolving demands of the modern North Carolina economy.” The Registered Apprenticeship model helps employers build skilled, adaptable, and efficient workforce pipelines while supplying apprentices with structured on-the-job learning, supplemental education, and progressive wage scales. According to a study by the Urban Institute and Upjohn Institute for Employment Research (2022), the average direct productivity benefit of each apprentice is $2,113 in year one post completion—which is 17% higher than a non-apprentice. Apprentices also earn an average of $10,000 more per year than non-apprentices in the same occupation—equating to $300,000 over the average of a 30-year career. In North Carolina, Registered Apprenticeship has proven to be a win-win for employers and employees alike, fostering collaboration that improves the state’s economy and enhances the lives of all North Carolinians.
About ApprenticeshipNC: Recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship to act on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, ApprenticeshipNC is the State Apprenticeship Agency authorized to register apprenticeship programs tailored to meet employers’ needs.
